ACRA papers ready for foreign offices
A foreign bank, registry or partner wants proof that your Singapore company exists. Certificate of incorporation legalisation in Singapore turns your ACRA certificate or Business Profile into a document they can rely on.
ACRA documents are public documents, so they usually skip the notary and go straight to the Singapore Academy of Law. Hague countries can take an e-Apostille by email; embassy countries need a paper route.
Tell us the country and which ACRA document you hold, and we send the route and price.
Can a Singapore certificate of incorporation be legalised for use abroad?
Yes. ACRA documents go straight to SAL.
Because ACRA is a government body, SAL can authenticate or apostille its certificates without a notary. Embassy countries then add their own stamp after SAL.
Why it is asked for
Overseas offices ask for a legalised certificate of incorporation whenever they must check that your Singapore company is real and active. For the wider set of company papers, see our corporate document legalisation service.
A foreign registry needs proof of the parent company before it records a branch.
When your Singapore company becomes a shareholder abroad, the registry checks its legal existence.
Overseas banks ask for it during company KYC before opening an account.
Gulf free zones often want the parent company's incorporation papers attested.
Foreign partners may want it before signing an agency or supply deal.
Public buyers abroad often list it as a required bid document.
Health and trade regulators check the maker or importer's company status.
Land offices and landlords may need it when the company buys or rents.
Which ACRA paper
Company registration certificate attestation starts with choosing the right ACRA document, because each one proves something slightly different. Our Singapore document legalisation desk checks the foreign office's wording and tells you which one to order.
| Document form | First step | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| ACRA certificate confirming incorporation (Bizfile) | Straight to SAL | Shows the company name, UEN and date it was formed, but not directors or shareholders. |
| ACRA Business Profile (Bizfile) | Straight to SAL | Lists current officers, shareholders, address and capital, so banks and registries ask for it most. |
| ACRA certificate of good standing | Straight to SAL | Confirms the company is live on the register and is only issued when ACRA's conditions are met. |
| Old certificate emailed at incorporation | Fresh ACRA copy first | We usually advise buying a new certificate so the date and details are current. |
| Constitution or registers kept by the company secretary | Our partner Notary Public first | These are company-held papers, so our partner Notary Public certifies a copy before SAL. |
Route by country
Certificate of incorporation legalisation follows a different path in each country. Hague countries accept an apostille, while the rest need embassy legalisation after SAL.
Step by step
Start to finish, an ACRA business profile apostille or embassy attestation moves through a short chain. For apostille-only cases on other papers, see our Singapore apostille service.
We read the foreign office's email to see which ACRA document, how recent and how many copies they want.
You buy the document on Bizfile, or we order it with your company's UEN.
SAL authenticates the paper copy, or issues an e-Apostille for Hague countries.
For embassy countries, we lodge the SAL-authenticated paper with the right mission.
The e-Apostille comes by email, and paper sets go back by hand or courier.
Digital or paper
Choosing between an e-Apostille and a paper certificate of incorporation depends on the country and the office that will read it. A wrong choice can mean starting again.
Banks and registries often want a signed company resolution as well, which goes through board resolution legalisation with our partner Notary Public first.
China, Vietnam and the Gulf often want the ACRA document in their language, and we arrange a certified translation at the right point in the chain.
If the company changed its name, a current Business Profile shows former names, so we may suggest sending it with the certificate.
Free check
We read their wording, confirm the document and route, and send a fixed price before you order anything.
Costs
Costs for a legalised certificate of incorporation is simple, because ACRA documents normally need only the SAL step. Embassy countries add the mission's fee, passed on at cost.
ACRA's own charge for buying the document is separate and paid at cost if we order it for you.
Time
Time for ACRA document attestation is mostly set by the embassy, not the Singapore steps. The ACRA and SAL stages are usually quick.
If a bank sets an age limit, we plan the order date so the document is still fresh when it arrives.
Before we start
Ordering company registration certificate attestation needs only a few details, and nobody has to sign anything for the ACRA document itself.
We usually order a fresh ACRA copy, because many foreign offices reject certificates that are several years old.
ACRA documents are bought online, so the work can run while you are abroad; a company power of attorney follows a separate signing route.
Avoid delays
Problems with a certificate of incorporation apostille or attestation usually come from the wrong document or format, not from the stamps.
FAQ
Answers to what company owners ask at the moment they order certificate of incorporation legalisation.
A Bizfile copy is enough, because SAL works on the ACRA document itself. We can also buy a fresh copy with your UEN, so nothing has to leave your office.
The Singapore part is quick: the ACRA copy is usually ready the same day and SAL takes 1–2 working days. The UAE embassy stage then sets the pace, and the UAE foreign ministry adds its stamp after the papers arrive there.
It is S$200 per document for the SAL apostille, with no notary fee because ACRA papers go straight to SAL. If we buy the ACRA copy for you, ACRA's own charge is added at cost.
Yes. Nobody signs anything for an ACRA document, so we only need your UEN and the destination. An e-Apostille comes by email, and paper sets can be couriered to you abroad.
A current Business Profile lists the former names, so it links the old and new names for the foreign office. We often suggest legalising it together with the certificate of incorporation.
It depends on what the receiving office accepts, and China, Vietnam and the Gulf often want their own language. We confirm the order with you before starting, so the translation sits at the right point in the chain.
They prove different things: the certificate of incorporation shows when the company was formed, while good standing confirms it is live on the register. Follow the bank's exact wording, and we can check it for you before you order.
Plan one set per receiving office, because banks and registries usually keep what you send. An embassy stamp only works for its own country, so ordering extra sets at the start can save a second round later.
Send the foreign office's request and your UEN, and we confirm the ACRA document, route and price. You can read what other company clients say on our client reviews.